Nitric Oxide Dump:

The Best Exercise for Your Mitochondrial Health

According to a report from The New York Times, the overall life expectancy of Americans has been gradually decreasing since 1993. Many factors are responsible for this phenomenon, but the biggest culprits are illnesses, such as heart and kidney disease, and diabetes — conditions in many cases that could have been prevented in the first place if proper lifestyle changes were implemented.

One such example is the lack of regular exercise. Today, many people spend long hours sitting in the car, home and office. CNN reports that Americans work longer compared to citizens from other developed nations, clocking in at an average of 34.4 hours per week – and some even going as high as 47 hours per week.

This level of inactivity can bring about disastrous effects to your health, and there are thousands of scientific studies that back up this claim. Research has shown that a sedentary lifestyle increases your risk of experiencing a heart attack by 82 percent, stroke by 37 percent and depression by a whopping 150 percent.

It’s no surprise then that the best solution to beat physical inactivity is to simply get up and move around. An article from Reuters says that “Walking for as little as 30 minutes most days of the week has a substantial benefit, and higher physical activity is associated with even lower risks.”

As you can see, even an activity as simple as walking can already be a boon to your health – what more if you followed a targeted exercise routine?

But, as already mentioned, many working Americans today lead very busy lives. You yourself may be having trouble incorporating exercise into your daily schedule. If this is the case, then you should try the Nitric Oxide Dump.

What Is the Nitric Oxide Dump?

Developed by Dr. Zach Bush, the Nitric Oxide Dump is a new version of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) that is designed to stimulate the release of nitric oxide, which can catalyze and promote health.

Nitric oxide is a molecule found in the inner layer of your blood vessels, the endothelium. It acts as a messenger molecule that transmits signals to cells in various parts of your body such as the cardiovascular, nervous and immune systems. Once released through exercise, nitric oxide works its way into the smooth muscles and causes them to relax.

The Nitric Oxide Dump uses simple movements done in quick succession, providing benefits similar to longer workouts, but accomplished in just a very small fraction of the time. Bush calls it one of the best ways to start toning your body's systems.

The Nitric Oxide Dump only takes a small amount of your time, with one session lasting between three to four minutes. Since it’s ideally repeated three times a day, you’ll be using a total of around 15 minutes.

Plus, this workout does not require the use of any dumbbells or other fancy equipment — all you need is a comfortable place to exercise and you’re good to go. In short, it’s a very economical way of achieving a healthier body.

How to Do the Nitric Oxide Dump Correctly

The Nitric Oxide Dump (and HIIT in general) can save you a lot of time but allow you to reap a lot of benefits. One study indicates that a three-minute HIIT session is as effective as 150 minutes of a moderate workout.

So how can you do the Nitric Oxide Dump efficiently? Here are two easy-to-follow examples you can practice straight from the creator himself, Dr. Bush.

Bush and Mercola both recommend doing the exercise three times a day. That’s because the nitric oxide in your body replenishes, and releasing it constantly allows your muscles to grow and become stronger, as well as provides other benefits. One session takes around four minutes, and consists of three sets with 10 repetitions of the following exercises:

Squats

Arm raises

Circular arm swings (also called non-jumping jacks)

Shoulder presses

Once you’re done completing the exercise, relax and stay put for a moment. In the next 20 seconds or so, you will feel a tingling sensation at your fingertips, which means that the nitric oxide is currently coursing throughout your body and reaching every single cell.

For a quick overview of the Nitric Oxide Dump, check out this infographic:

The Nitric Oxide Dump Can Help Boost Your Cardiovascular Function

One of the most notable benefits of the Nitric Oxide Dump is its boost to your cardiovascular health. According to Dr. Mercola, once nitric oxide is released into your system, your blood vessels expand and dilate to lower your blood pressure. The exercise also decreases the viscosity of your blood, which lowers your risk of platelet aggregation. Excess platelets can contribute to serious cardiovascular diseases such as a heart attack or a stroke.

Aside from these specific benefits, HIIT in general can promote other aspects of healthy cardiovascular function. For example, it increases the flexibility and elasticity of your arteries and veins by giving your blood vessels a good workout.

HIIT can also help moderate blood sugar levels, preventing damage to your blood vessels. This is beneficial especially for diabetics, because HIIT can control spikes in blood sugar levels by causing your muscles to open up easier and use the glucose right away instead of lingering in your bloodstream.

Aside from the Nitric Oxide Dump, there are other strategies that you can implement to help you manage your blood pressure.

Other Profound Health Benefits You Can Get From the Nitric Oxide Dump

Another (and arguably the most important) reason why you should be doing the Nitric Oxide Dump is its benefits for your mitochondrial health by slowing down age-related muscle decline. By doing the exercise, your mitochondria begin to produce proteins that keep your muscles performing at their peak level, especially for aging adults.

In addition, Dr. Mercola adds that the Nitric Oxide Dump can help increase lean body mass. By increasing muscle size, your body begins to burn more calories and fat which can help you achieve your weight goals easier and healthier. The Nitric Oxide Dump may also help:

Target large muscle groups: The Nitric Oxide Dump uses multiple movements that utilize large muscle groups such as your thighs, arms and shoulders. Doing the exercises correctly will yield anabolic and metabolic benefits, improving weight and facilitating fat loss over time throughout your body.

Reduce insulin resistance: Diabetics may benefit from performing high-intensity exercises. Research has shown that weight loss induced by working out has shown to significantly improve insulin resistance.

Before Doing the Nitric Oxide Dump, Make Sure You Can Safely and Properly Perform It

Before you begin implementing the exercises into your regimen, it’s important that you check whether you can do them properly in the first place. Since the Nitric Oxide Dump is a type of HIIT, you will need to do each movement at a very high pace to allow the molecule to release and spread throughout your body.

The great thing about the Nitric Oxide Dump is that many people with different body types and ages can still perform it, even if you have some sort of injury. For example, if you experience a lot of stress on your knees or back Dr. Bush recommends that you do a shallow squatting motion if you can’t do a proper squat. What’s important is that you still activate the quadriceps in your thighs because that’s the muscle group that’s going to release the nitric oxide. In other words, the speed is more important than how low you can go when squatting.

If you have a shoulder injury, doing the third movement of the exercise (the non-jumping jacks) may be painful for you. To work around this problem, Dr. Bush recommends doing a maneuver that goes into the center of your chest by clasping your hands together, reaching up and then spreading your arms apart. Done correctly, it looks similar to a doing breaststroke maneuver. For pregnant women who want to attempt this exercise to stay fit, consult with a physician first to prevent injuring yourself or your child.

For beginners, Dr. Mercola recommends starting out with 10 repetitions of each movement. This will allow your body to get used to the entire workout until you can work up your way to 20 repetitions, which is the ideal number for optimal results. Also, Dr. Mercola suggests that you don’t do this more than every two hours because it takes around that time for the nitric oxide in your system to replenish.

Remember To Be Active at All Times to Maintain Peak Physical Health

The human body is built for physical activity. Sitting throughout the whole day will not do any favors for your health. Make the necessary lifestyle changes before health problems appear – implementing the Nitric Oxide Dump is one such way.

Keep in mind that before you engage in the Nitric Oxide Dump, or any exercise for that matter, consult a doctor first especially if you’ve been sedentary for a long time. You may also visit a physical therapist to teach you how to perform the exercises properly.